The Southeast Alabama Gas District has named Wiley Lott director of economic development and governmental affairs.

Lott assumed his new post March 2 and will work out of an office in Montgomery.

“We are very fortunate to attract someone with Wiley’s background and experience to serve in this very important position,” Greg Henderson, president of Southeast Alabama Gas District, said in a released statement. “We are committed to playing a leadership role in economic development in our state and Wiley is the right person to partner with others in helping to bring new jobs and economic opportunity to those we serve.”

Lott has served on the economic development team for Alabama Power Company and also worked as director for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

“I am looking forward to working with Greg, members of his team, the gas district board of directors and community economic development leaders across this state to help attract good paying jobs to our state,” Lott said. “I am convinced we have everything we need to be successful if we work together as a team to recruit new industry to our state and help our existing businesses expand.”

For Lott, the new position is a way of coming home.

He was born in Beards Hospital in Troy, grew up in Brundidge and graduated from Pike Liberal Arts School in 1984.

He earned his undergraduate degree at Troy University and his law degree at the University of Arkansas.

“I left Pike County in 1988 and now, 25 years later, I have this opportunity to get back home,” Lott said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for me and my family. Suzy and I have always wanted our children to grow up around family.

“The Lotts have been in Pike County for eight generations and my mother’s family, the Chancellors, has been in Linwood and Saco for generations. We also have family in Goshen. We’re all over Pike County.”

After Lott completed his law degree, he went to work for Wal-Mart. As director of real estate, he traveled all across the country.

“But no matter where I went, Alabama was always in the back of my mind,” he said.

Lott got the opportunity to come back to Alabama in 2008 with Alabama Power.

“I worked for Alabama Power for five years,” he said. “Alabama Power is a great company and I thought that I would retire with them. But, when Southeast Alabama Gas District offered me this opportunity to come back home and work for folks down here, that’s what I wanted to do. That’s what Suzy and I wanted for us and for our children.”

Lott said that his territory with SEAGD will be the lower one-third of the state. He will work with local economic development groups to recruit business and industry to the area.

“It has always been in my heart to help our people by bringing jobs to Alabama,” he said.

“I’m excited to be able to help our folks.”

Lott said it might be cliché but what sets Alabama apart and makes it a prime location for new businesses and industries is its people.

“Our people,” he said. “That’s the bottom line. It’s the work ethic of our people. They show up for work on time and they work hard and take pride in what they do. That was the work ethic of our folks generations ago and it still is today. What most of our folks want is to be able to work at home and make a good living for their families. That’s what set us apart. We are home folks.”

Lott said Alabama is also a prime physical location for new industries.

“But what we hang our hat on is our people,” he said. “And, when we go out to recruit new industries, we go as a team and we work together as a team to market our state. That’s the way we do things in Alabama.”

Lott will work his territory from his Montgomery office but will continue to live in Hoover.

“Our son, Chancellor, is a junior at Spain Park High School and he plays football,” Lott said.

“Our daughter, Kaiti is a ninth grader at Spain. We don’t want to move them so we’ll stay in Hoover until they’re both out of high school. But, I’m home and there’s no place I would rather be.”